Bryan Cox: Cox ejected for fight

Bryan Cox walked slowly and Carwell Gardner sprinted. They almost ended up in the same place.

In an ugly finish to a 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Gardner had to be restrained from going into the Dolphins' locker room to continue a brawl with Cox that had started on the field.

Gardner was grabbed by a Bills security officer and warned by NFL security official Charlie Jackson. Gardner and Cox were ejected from the game with 1:41 remaining for fighting. Both were assessed personal fouls. Both probably will also be assessed fines by the NFL.

Particularly Cox, who walked off the field after being ejected. His relationship with the Buffalo fans being tenuous at best, Cox was jeered lustily by most of the fans and replied by spitting on the field in the direction of the fans five times.As he walked into the tunnel leading to the locker rooms, Cox was showered with drinks and garbage. One Buffalo security guard even booed Cox. This after the NFL and the Bills had increased security last season in response to a Cox lawsuit over treatment at Rich Stadium.

Cox declined to comment about the issue.

However, that wasn't the end of it. Gardner left the field after Cox, sprinting toward the locker room. However, he turned right where he should have turned left, apparently ready to fight Cox some more.

"Where's Cox?" Gardner shouted as he ran to the door of the locker room. "I'm gonna go after him."

Gardner has been part of two previous fights involving the Dolphins and has been criticized by them for talking trash during games. He claimed no liability for what happened and even denied that he made a dash for the Dolphins' locker room, even though several dozen people saw him.

"Watch the film and find out," Gardner said of the fight. "I have no idea [what started it). I was just doing my job blocking. [After being kicked out) I came in and headed for the Bills' locker room. They kicked me out of the game. I had to leave."

"That's just him," Dolphins safety Louis Oliver said of Gardner. "He was running by, saying, `Where's Bryan? Where's Bryan?' I didn't think he was really going to go after Bryan. He was just yappity-yappity."